Building block and wall construction



' March 31, 1931 I F. T. HEATH 1,798,734

BUILDING BLOCK AND WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed June 18, 1927. 4 Sheets-Sheet l March 31, 1931. HEATH 1,798,734

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grwenioz %m% 4 M attozow m Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK T. HEATH, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE HEATH UNIT TILE COMPANY, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON, A CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON BUILDING BLocK Ann Application filed June 18,

This invention relates to wall construction and particularly to walls constructed with a brick veneer finish and a back-up hollow tile.

It is among the objects 01' my invention to provide hollow tile of such shape that a wall of maximum strength, having a bond between brick and tile, can be built with as little effort and in as short a time as possible.

Other objects include a unique bond between the veneer brick and the back-up tile. Still other objects include the provision of size relationship between the brick and backup tile so that a certain dimension is common to all of the brick and tile.

Another object is to bond the tile blocks in the wall so that a greater strength or greater load bearing ability will be given the wall which is builtaccording to my invention.

Qther objects include the shape of the particular tile so that few shapes will serve to form not only the body of the back-up tile but may also be used in jambs, reveals, pilasters and closures.

Other objects will appear from the following description of walls and tile built according to my invention; the essential characteristics are summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Figs. 1 to 9, as a group, show the size relationship of the various tile shapes used in carrying out my invention; Fig. 2 shows an arrangement of six bricks spaced apart by appropriate mortar joints having the same volume as the cubical tile shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective of the header cube with which the veneer bricks are bonded into the body of the wall; Fig. 4 depicts five brick with appropriate mortar joints displacing the same volume as the header cube shown in Fig; 3; Fig. 5 includes two blocks, one a half cube equal in volume to three bricks, and a so-called one third cube displacing the volume of two bricks as shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 6 represents a header cube with its voids extending vertically as distinguished from the cube shown in Fig.3; Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 are halves respectively of the blocks shown in Figs. 3 and 6; Fig. 9 shows a quarter cube block; Fig. 10 is a raised perspective of a portion of a wall as viewed WALL cons'ratrorion 1927. Serial No. 199,885.

from the tile side of the wall; Fig. 11 is a partly broken perspective showing the bonding relation between the brick and the tile; Fig. 12 is a perspective of a sixteen inch wall; Fig. 18 is a perspective of a twenty inch wall; Fig. 14 shows a twelve inch wall with a brick bond every third course; Fig. 15 shows a sixteen inch wall with a brick bond every third course; Fig. 16 shows a reveal closure, depicting particularly the use of a header cube shown in Fig. 3 as a closure member in a course of cubes; Fig. 17 shows the use or" the blocks shown in Figs. 6 and 7 as closure members of header cube courses.

In carrying out the objects of my 'inven tion, I have formed the hollow tile to correspond in major dimension to the veneer brick, which are used on the face of the wall, thus the size of the cubical block which 'I use in the body of the wall has its edge dimensional equal to the length of a brick, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It followsthat this dimension is also equal to the thickness of three bricks plus two mortar joints, and it is also equal to the width of two bricks and one mortar joint, thus the cubical tile in Fig. 1

is equal in volume to six brick with appropriate mortar joints. The web arrangement of the cubical tile may be the same asthat shown in my Reissue Patent No. 16,468.

As pointed out in that patent, the cube is susceptible of division into half cubes and quarter cubes, as shown in Figs. 5 and 9. In this invention, I make use of other divisions particularly the divisions shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The lesser block in Fig. 5 is equal to two bricks plus a mortarjoint and formed as a fraction of the cubical tile, wherein its upper shell 10 corresponds to the web 10 of the cubical tile.

In building a brick veneer wall, it is common practice to use what is known as an English bond, wherein every sixth course of brick is laid endwise of the face of the Wall so that these bricks, which I shall refer to as header bricks, may be bonded with the tile which constitute the load bearing portion of the wall.

term a header cube, as shown in Fig. 3, which is the same size and shape as the cubical blocks shown in Fig. 1, except that it is stepped as at 11, having a tread portion 12 and a riser portion 13. The tread portion 12 corresponds to the web 10 of the cube with additional portion of the web 12. The riser portion 13 of the step corresponds to the face of the web 13 of the cubical block. The header cube therefore, corresponds in volume to the five brick with appropriate mortar joints, as shown in Fig. 4, and in turn corresponds in shape and in volume to the blocks, as shown in Fig. 5, spaced apart as they are by an appropriate mortar joint. The minor voids in all of the blocks have a minimum dimension equal to the thickness of a mortar joint. 7

Referring particularly to Figs. 10 and 11, I show the elementary form of my invention, wherein alternate courses of full cubes and header cubes are layed for every sixth course of brick, the cubes and header cubes are offset longitudinally of the wall substantially one half of the longitudinal dimension so that each of the full tile bond with two tile above and below. The cubical tile may be laid to have their voids extending either vertically or horizontally. It can be seen that the vertical webs and shells of all of the hollow blocks in the wall are in perfect alignment throughout. A cubical tile is end-set as at 20 to form an end closure and a header block similar to that shown in Fig. 8, is used at 21 to form an end closure for the header cube course (see also Fig. 17). It can be readily seen that the header cube of Fig. 6 with a half cube end-set would form a similar closure and could be used as a matter of choice.

In Fig. 11, I have shown partof the header brick in section as at 22 to bring out more clearly the novel bond between header brick and back-up tile. The brick designated 23 may be seen to bond with two header cubes 24 and 25 below and with the full cube at 26 above. The brick designated 22 bonds with the full cubes 26 and 27 above and also bonds with the header cube 24: below. This bond results from the size of the blocks all having a common dimension equal to the length of a brick. The cubical block 26 bonds with two header blocks 24 and 25 and in like manner the header cube 2% bonds with both cubes 26 and 27. It will be further seen that every brick bonds with three-back-up tile and that every alternate brick bonds with either two full cubes and a header cube or with two header cubes and a full cube. With this arrangement, I not only tie the veneer bricks into the wall but I use the header bricks to strengthen and add to the bond between tile.

In Fig. 12, I show the English brick bond in a sixteen inch wall; the wall thickness is of course relative and I use the term sixteen inch on the premise that the bricks are substantially 8 long. In forming this wall, the bond between brick and tile is maintained as shown, by the brick 3O overlying the header cubes 31 and'32. The header cube course is formed of header cubes such as 31 and 32 and also includes half cubes 33. The inter mediate course is formed of full cubes 34 and hali cubes 35 with three courses of stretcher brick, as shown. The blocks of the header course are displaced longitudinally of the wall substantially one half block; the half cubes 33 lie on the inner side of the header cube course, while the half cubes 35 lie on the outer side of the full cube course. In this manner each header cube, such as 31 and 32 overlies four blocks in the course below and each full cube 34 is bonded to two headercubes and two half cubes in the courses above and below. The shells of the half cubesare in alignment with the webs and the shells of the blocks, both above and below by reason of the dimension of the voids conforming with the thickness of the vertical mortarjoints.

The closure for the intermediate or filler course, shown in Fig. 12, includes a half cube endset as at 36, a quarter cube such as shown in Fig. 7, endset at 37. The closure for the header cube course includes a header block 38 having vertical voids, as shown in Fig. 6, and a half cube extending longitudinally of the wall and endset as at 39.

It will be seen for instance, that the full cube designated a is bonded with a portion 01"- the blocks 38, 39, the half cube .7) and part of the header cube 0.

The wall shown in Fig. 13 is thicker by the width of a brick plus a mortar oint than the wall shown in Fig. 12. The header cube course includes full cubes as shown. The header cubes are bonded with the header brick as set out above. A header cube with voids normal to the step is used in the end closure for this course as shown at 38. A full cube 40 completes the closure for this course.

In the intermediate course, full cubes 50 and half cubes 51 and 52 are used in the 7 body of the wall. The full cubes 50 are spaced both laterally and longitudinally from both the header cubes and full cube above and below. The web and shell alignment is maintained throughout the wall and a uniform quarter bond is maintained between blocks. The closure in the intermediate course may include quarter cubes endset as at 53, and a hall cube endset as at 54.

In Fig. 14, I have shown a twelve inch wall with header brick every third course so that substantially all of the back-up tile are header cubes. Because the longitudinal dimension of the blocks is equal to the length of the brick, each header brick will be bond.-

ed withthree header blocks, two above and one below or vice versa. To illustrate the three course bond in a wall of greater thickness, I have shown in Fig. an arrangement of header cube in alternate courses along with half cubes 61 in the header course. In the intermediate course, I use full cubes 62, one of which is shown in section and fractional blocks 63, spaced between header bricks 64. The fractional blocks 63 are also shown in Fig. 5.

In this structure, it will be seen that the bond between header brick, is carried out with the header tile so that each brick may bond with three blocks, as shown in Fig. 11. It will also be seen that the header cubes overlie quarter portions of ful cubes above and below and the full cubes are bonded with four blocks above and below.

Full jamb closures may be formed in a manner similar to the end closures mentioned above. My header cube, as shown in 3. is particularly adapted to form reveal closures by being endset at the ends of the intermediate courses as shown in Fig. 16. In Fig. 16, I have shown a wall having a thickness of one brick' and one back-up tile and laid with the usual English bond, as shown in Figs. 10 to 13. The body of the wall may be constructed as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, with header cubes receiving header bricks 71. Full cubes 62 displaced longitudinally, relative to the header cubes, are used in the body of the intermediate course. Reveal bricks are turned as at 73 and header cubes, as shown in Fig. 3 are endset as at 75 to form a reveal closure for the full cube course. Quarter cubes 76 are endset at the ends of the header cube courses to complete the closure. The quarter cubes the wall, that is, based on the dimension of the brick length, and also based on the use of the cubical block and the fraction thereof, so that I combine a brick bond with a tile bond, which results in a composite wall of greater strength than has heretofore been obtainable. The tile shapes formed as fractions of the cubical tile lend themselves to carrying out the bond relation and the formation of jainbs and closures without deviating from the bond. The use of the double transverse web facilitates the web and shell alignment of all the blocks in the wall, whether enoset or side-set, and maintains a web alignment, however it is expedient to set the blocks. All of the tile, having at least one dimension common to the length of the brick, are of a size conveniently handled and placed in the wall.

It has been my well founded experience that a wall laid according to the teaching of my invention may be laid more economically and with greater speed than other walls now known in the art. The size relationship of all the wall units to each other, aids the mason or bricklayer in placing units in the wall and encoura es him to take advantage of all the economies which my invention facilitates.

Reference is made to my divisional application, Serial N 0. 409,831, filed November 26th, 1929, for claims on the header block and wall construction employing such block where the voids are vertical; that is, transversely of the header-step.

I claim:

1. A hollow header block having an external shell and double internal crossing webs, said block having its major dimension equal to the length of a common brick and its cubical displacement equal to five bricks with appropriate mortar joints laid in a pile of three bricks and a pile of two bricks with a common base, the block thus having a stepped formation presenting a tread portion of the shell aligning with and joining a horizontal internal web and there being another horizontal internal web below the tread and the first mentioned horizontal web a distance equal to the thickness of a mortar joint, and there being an internal vertical web aligning with and joining the riser portion of the shell and another internal vertical web spaced from the vertical web first mentioned a distance equal to the thickness of a mortar joint and crossing the through horizontal web and abutting and oining the tread portion of the shell.

2. A wall formedof veneer brick including courses of header brick and back-up tile including a course of-stepped header tile for each course of header brick and cubical tile laid in courses between the header tile courses, all of said tile being hollow and having an external shell and double crossing webs, the header tile being of a length equal to the dimensions of the cubical tile and also equal to the length of a brick, and some of the tile being end set and some side set, and irrespective of their position occupying the same maximum vertical height and with their vertical shells and webs in alignment.

3. A wall structure including veneer brick with courses of header brick and back-up tile having an external shell and double crossing webs and including header tile laid in courses corresponding to the header brick courses, the back-up tile comprising cubical tile substantially equal in volume to six bricks plus appropriate mortar oints and the header tile formed as fractionsof the cubical tile and substantially equal to five bricks plus approlii priate mortar joints, the cubical tile being bonded in diagonal offset relation to the heador blocks, said cubical tile and header tile having a vertical displacement equal to three full courses of brick including two mortar joints whether end set or side set in the wall.

4. A wall structure composed of veneer brick and back-up tile, every sixth course of veneer bricks being laid transversely of the wall as header bricks, the back-up tile including cubical tile and lesser tile, all of the back-up tile having a maximum dimension equal to the length of a brick, part of the back-up tile having stepped portions extending parallel to the voids and equal to the full thickness of a brick plus a mortar joint and adapted to receive the inner ends of the header brick, some of the backup tile placed so as to have their voids extending horizontally in the body of the wall and some placed so as to have their voids extending vertically to form end closures for the wall and still stand at the same height as the tile with horizontal voids.

5. A wall structure including veneer brick having header brick in spaced courses, hollow header blocks whose height equals their length, each formed with a stepped portion to receive the header brick and having voids extending parallel to the stepped portion, the header blocks being laid in courses flush with the header brick course, courses of blocks equal in height to the length of the header blocks and laid between courses of header blocks, and header blocks of identical formation and dimension with the header block mentioned and end-set at the ends of said last named courses to form reveal closures therefor.

6. A wall structure including veneer brick laid with five stretcher courses'and a header course, and backup tile having an external shell and double crossing webs and including cubical blocks equal to six bricks with appropriate mortar joints having interior trans verse double webs spaced apart the thickness of a mortar joint, and header tile equal in height to said cubical tile but lacking portions of the shell along one edge and part of one interior web whereby a step is formed equal to one stretcher brick plus a horizontal and vertical mortar joint, said cubical tile and header tile being laid in adjacent courses with vertical alignment between webs and shells, the header course of veneer brick extending into the tile portion of the wall and lying on said step portion of the header tile, the header brick being arranged so that alternate header brick bond with two header tile and one cubical tile and alternate header brick bond with two cubical tile and one header tile.

'7. A hollow header block having an ex ternal shell and internal crossing webs, said block having its major dimension equal to the length of a common brick and its cubical displacement equal to five bricks with appropriate mortar joints laid in a pile of three bricks and a pile of two bricks with a common base, the block being thus cubical except by an omission corresponding to the displacement of one brick with its bottom and edge mortar joint, the omitted portion being bounded by a vertical portion of the shell which aligns with and oins an internal vertical web and there being another vertical web terminating at the bottom of the omitted portion and spaced from the vertical web first mentioned a distance corresponding to the thickness of a mortar joint and there being two other Webs spaced apart adistance corresponding to the thickness of a mortar joint and located at right angles to the two vertical webs mentioned, whereby when said blocks are laid up with header bricks there are continuous vertical load bearing members cor responding to two shell portions and two internal web portions of the tile.

8. A composite brick and tile Wall having a veneer of header bricks and stretcher bricks laid with their greatest dimension measurable horizontally, and having a coacting backing of tile blocks some laid with their voids extending horizontally and others laid with their voids extending vertically, certain of said blocks having portions cut away and receiving the portions of said header bricks, all of said tile blocks having a maximum dimension measurable whether horizontally along the wall, or horizontally transversely of the wall or vertically equal to the greatest dimension of the bricks.

9. A header tile adapted for use in a wall having a brick facing with a plurality of stretcher courses and a header course, said tile comprising substantially five-sixths of a hollow I cubical block having a shell forming four sides and having two pairs of interior transverse webs connecting the shell, one pair crossing the other pair at right angles and the webs of each pair being spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of a mortar joint, the omitted portion of the cube being adapted to receive the inwardly overhanging portions of two header brick.

1() As a new article of manufacture, a header block for use in conjunction with a veneer wall of common brick, having stretcher and header courses, said block having the same maximum length width and height, each equal to the length of such common brick, said block having an omitted portipn adjacent one edge equal in size and shape to one common brick plus amortar joint along its wide face plus also a mortar joint along its long and narrow face.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiix my signature.

FREDERICK T. HEATH. 

